The Public Eye, Summer 2000

/3TA PUBLICATIONh OF POLITICALe RESEARCHP ASSOCIATESubSUMMER/FALLli2000c • Volume IX,E No. 2/3 ye For Faith and Family Christian Right Advocacy at the United Nations b Editorial Preface sphere, are increasingly included. The col- by Jennifer Butler An important ingredient in the Right’s for- laboration, at this point, is sporadic and ten- ince the United Nations held the Fourth midable political success over the past two tative. It is led by a handful of rightists within SWorld Conference on Women in Bei- decades has been the emergence of the Chris- each religious base that is taking the lead in jing, China in September 1995, women’s tian Right as a social movement, and its defining a shared agenda and promoting col- rights and human rights groups in the US increasing importance as a player in national laboration through conferences and meetings. and throughout the world have worked to and state politics. The conservative Protestant In this issue of The Public Eye, Jennifer “bring the Beijing platform home.” Adopted evangelicals, Pentecostals, Charismatics, and Butler, Associate for Global Issues with the Pres- by consensus by 189 countries, the Platform fundamentalists of the Christian Right have byterian Church (USA) UN Office, describes for Action calls for reforms to address eco- been criticized for crossing the line between the inter-religious coalition of conservatives nomic and social discrimination against church and state and for a religious chauvin- from the right wing of each religion, who col- women across the globe. It is the most com- ism that leads them to claim that their literal laborated to protest the Beijing+5 Conference prehensive document on women’s rights reading of the Bible is the only valid Christ- at the United Nations. In her case study, the ever agreed upon by governments, and rep- ian reading. Protestants who are not sufficiently author describes how the coalition was built resents the culmination of four global conservative have been put on the defensive and and how it operated to assert its conservative, women’s conferences. Most significantly, what has been called a culture war between pro-family perspective at Beijing+5. It is an the Beijing Conference signaled the real- Christians and secularists has been widened informative glimpse into an emerging col- ization of a global women’s movement that to include disagreement between conservative laboration that could represent a broadening is seeking to address the diverse issues that and more liberal Protestants. The Catholic of the Christian Right into a true “Religious affect women worldwide. In the US, the Bei- Church has evolved on a parallel track, devel- Right.” Such an inter-religious right-wing jing Conference and its platform have fed oping an increasingly strong conservative wing, movement might represent the shot in the arm an ever-increasing awareness of the inter- but playing a political role primarily in the and rebirth that the Christian Right now needs. national struggle for women’s rights, and areas of abortion and the death penalty. In the We urge Public Eye readers to take note of acted as a blueprint for activism across the Right’s secular leadership there are many this article and begin to watch for a new era country. Catholics, but they have not been able to in the fortunes of the Christian Right. The Beijing Conference was divided mobilize Catholics to support the Right to the Collaboration across faiths is never easy. Each into the official government conference, extent that conservative Protestants have been religion in a coalition is based on its own estab- which met in Beijing, and the meeting of able to mobilize conservative evangelicals. lished principles, and in the case of the con- international Non-governmental Organi- Journalists and analysts have noted the simi- servative wings of each religion the belief in larity of agendas among the ultra-conservative these principles is particularly unyielding. wings of most religions, but collaboration Nevertheless, we may be seeing a moment when IN THIS ISSUE across religious boundaries has always been the leaders of each religion’s right wing see more Commentary . 2 difficult at best. in common on certain issues with the conser- All that seems to be changing. We are seeing vative leaders of other religions than with their Transitions . .18 increasing collaboration among conservative own religion’s mainstream. In this case, col- Resources . .20 evangelicals, conservative Catholics, Mor- laboration has a new appeal. Certainly, it has mons, and conservative, often Orthodox, impressive potential as a vehicle for pushing Eyes Right . 22 Jews. Muslims, while still marginalized in this the pro-family agenda to new political success THE PUBLIC EYE 1 SUMMER/FALL 2000 The Public Eye From the Editor ThePublicEye reetings! It is with real pleasure that I write this collaboration. Conservative interpretations Editors Gto you as the new Research Analyst at of these ideologies subordinate women, and Nikhil Aziz, Ph.D. PRA, and Editor of The Public Eye as I believe a departure from socially-constructed gender roles Judith Glaubman class, gender, race/ethnicity, and sexuality inclu- and homosexuality imperil their foundations. Printing Red Sun Press sive perspective, reflected in PRA’s analysis of pol- Advances in women’s rights through the various itics and society, is critical in furthering UN World Conferences, however circumscribed, Mailing Walnut Street Center progressive change. In this issue of The Public threaten religious conservatives and their narrow Eye, Jennifer Butler looks at a developing trend interpretations of faith, inspiring a backlash. PRA within the US Christian Right to proactively Finally, extremist religious forces have won polit- POLITICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES claim a major role on the international stage— ical power in countries around the world, and Board of Directors advancing the attack on genuine and complete conservatives from these religions have sought Joseph Agne equality for women (including reproductive to use the UN forum to further their agendas. Michael Chapman rights and freedoms), and on equal rights for les- For instance, the ultra conservative Vishwa Jean Entine bian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) people. Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council), an arm Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D. Geraldine Hines This in itself is not new. The Vatican has long of India’s Hindu Right, is actively seeking NGO Michael Kozu been engaged in pushing its positions interna- consultative status at the UN. Faith Smith tionally with Pope John Paul II promoting a very These trends are not irreversible. Inter-reli- Loretta Williams, Ph.D. Lucy A. Williams conservative agenda on these “family” and gious or inter-denominational cooperation is dif- women’s issues. The exceptional status the Vat- ficult and hard to sustain. Any ideology claiming Staff ican/Holy See enjoys at the United Nations, as to be the absolute truth, even if tolerant up to a Nikhil Aziz, Ph.D., Research Analyst a “non-member state permanent observer,” point, is exclusive. Witness the recent Vatican dec- Chip Berlet, Senior Research Analyst affords it unparalleled entrée in international bod- laration, in Dominus Jesus, that complete salva- Kate Cloud, Director ies, access no other religion enjoys. tion is available only to faithful Catholics. Judith Glaubman, Researcher/Office Manager Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D., President What is new is the participation within UN Conservative religious involvement in the UN Mark Umi Perkins, Information Specialist structures, the global conferences in particular, or in coalitions is often expedient and can there- Jesse Putnam, Director of Development and by other Christian, primarily US-based, orga- fore be unreliable. Concerned Women for Amer- Communications Mitra Rastegar, nizations that have identified the UN and its ica participated at Beijing and Beijing+5, yet Researcher agencies as battlegrounds for the culture war. raised reservations about the UN’s Millennium Advisory Board There is also increasing strategic cooperation, on World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Rita Arditti John Roberts key issues, among various Christian denomi- Leaders. A substantial number of the delegates Ann Baker Mab Segrest nations and between Christian and non-Chris- at that meeting were from various Hindu Right Donna Bivens Alice Senturia tian religions at the international level—such as organizations, crying foul over Christian pros- Sara Diamond, Ph.D. Holly Sklar Fred Goff Barbara Simon the cooperation between the Vatican and certain elytizing. The Vatican’s carefully crafted coalition Beni Ivey Urvashi Vaid Islamic countries (the “Unholy Alliance”) at crumbled at Beijing+5, with most Latin Amer- Maya Miller Lucius Walker Vienna (1993), Cairo (1994) and Beijing (1995). ican countries deserting it. Suzanne Pharr Leah Wise The Institute for Democracy Studies reports that, Yet, it is clear that right-wing inter-denomi- Skipp Porteous “[t]his strategic convergence of right-wing forces, national and inter-religious collaboration at the The Public Eye is published by Political Research Associates. Subscriptions are $29.00 for individuals both Catholic and non-Catholic, in new, struc- international level is a reality that threatens and non-profit organizations, $39.00 for other tured coalitions that meet regularly to plan strat- women’s rights and LGBT rights. As Jennifer organizations, $19.00 for students and low-income individuals. Outside U.S., Canada, and Mexico, add egy and share information, is perhaps the most Butler underscores, it is vital that progressive faith $9.00 for surface delivery or $14.00 for air mail. dramatic development in the global fight for and secular communities assume a more proac- Please make checks payable to Political Research reproductive rights and gender equity in recent tive global role in the struggle to advance equality Associates, 1310 Broadway, Suite 201, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144-1731. years. One aspect of this is that the historic ten- and justice for all, and to collaborate in ensuring 617.666.5300 fax: 617.666.6622 sions between the various streams of funda- that the gains of the past are not rolled back.

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